Currently, various types of mixing valves are constructed to receive a mixing cartridge of the sequential type. A sequential type of cartridge has a valve designed to ensure in the progressive movement of an operating member in a certain field of adjustment, firstly, the delivery of cold water only, then a mixture with growing volumes of hot water, and finally the delivery of hot water only.
Thermostatic mixing valves are also known, which are constructed to receive a thermostatic mixing cartridge. The thermostatic cartridge is designed to regulate the mixing of cold water and hot water so as to ensure the delivery of mixed water having within a certain field of approximation a constant, possibly adjustable temperature.
Both of the thermostatic valves and sequential mixing valves have been linked in a pipeline for adjustment of flow to separate faucets. Alternatively both valves can be installed serially in a single faucet.
However, known mixing valves constructed to receive a sequential mixing cartridge cannot have the cartridge replaced with a thermostatic mixing cartridge, and mixing valves constructed to receive a thermostatic mixing cartridge, cannot have the cartridge replaced with receive a sequential mixing cartridge. In the current state of the art, these two types of mixing cartridges have different constructions both in terms of external dimensions and placement of inlet openings for cold water and hot water and for delivery of mixed water so that they are incompatible with each other and cannot be interchangeable.
This situation entails inconveniences. As a matter of fact, on the one hand, when it comes to actual manufacturing, it is necessary to provide units of different design and construction for a mixing valve housing intended to receive a sequential mixing cartridge and a mixing valve housing intended to receive a thermostatic mixing cartridge. The two different housing constructions result in an increase in their manufacturing and storage cost and, on the other hand, it is not possible to meet the requirement of a user to switch from a sequential mixing system to a thermostatic mixing system or vice versa without entirely replacing the mixing valve housing.